We’re proud to present a new section on the Dim Mak blog called “Holland Days with Jamal”. In these weekly series our newest intern Jamal will interview various artists and at the same time learn a lot about the American culture and the Dim Mak family.

Jamal’s first interview is with Trap artist SALVA, who will be playing at the Steve Aoki x Grammy After Party. SALVA is mostly known for his legendary remix with RL Grime of Kanye West’s “Mercy”. To buy tickets for the Grammy After Party, click here.
[hr]

Interview

Hi Salva, how are you doing on this fine and sunny day?
Chillin out 🙂

Whats the meaning behind the Pope as your profile photo? Do you just love him that much?
Yeah I wanted to be the pope when I was a little kid… Haha for real though.

How did the process of the Mercy remix you did with RL Grime go?
I had the idea when I was in the studio at Power 106 when Big Sean premiered the original “Mercy”.. I was sitting there remembering that Madlib and Dilla used that reggae sample before. Brought RL in to do the track with me because we started working together recently, I remixed one of his tracks for Wedidit and I was always playing his stuff out… so we collabed on it and didn’t think too much about it.. Just had fun with it and it came out really good.

Did you think the remix would take off like it did? How much did it impact your life/career?
Yeah it’s helped get me a lot of exposure for sure..thankful for that.. just really helped me get in front of bigger crowds — been DJing all my life so it was a good platform to show kids what I do.

Are you still running around coloring the streets? If so where can we see some of your work?
No haha I don’t paint.

J Dilla’s birthday was today (February 7th). How important is he as a person to you?
Really big influence on all of us who were into golden era Hip Hop to modern underground stuff…his productions, his rap. He produced so many classics, if you were into Hip Hop at all the past 20 years — whether you know it or not you love Dilla’s music.

Don’t you just hate that remake of “Fright Night”?
Ha yeah it really wasn’t the best.. The OG is my fave though, of course.

Are we going to see you scratching during the Dim Mak Sundays night this Sunday February 10th?
A little bit maybe, I’ve been kinda forced into using CD-Js as of late, turntables are dissapearing accross the world!!! 🙁

Would you say that Bucharest, Romania is the best place to party? And why?
Kids just go really hard there, and the average party goer probably knows more about new electronic music than I do…they’re just really hungry for what’s next there for some reason.

How awesome was it when Pusha T came and did his verse over your remix during RBMA Culture Clash?
Yeah that was probably one of the best things that came out of doing the “Mercy” remix for sure.. He’s the illest man what can I say!! Pusha just shines on everybody.

What are the future releases on the Frite Nite label you’d like to tell us about?
We have really cool things popping, more underground style — for instance Jimmy Edgar and Adbourke remixes of The Starship Connection record we did last year, and an EP from Ana Sia that is really cracking tribal bass stuff.

Are you excited for your show this Sunday? Any surprises up your sleeve?
Probably no Pusha T this time hahaha (but maybe again soon).. nah I’m just gonna do me, I’ve wanted to come play Drai’s for a minute.. feel it’s gonna be a good platform to play some big rap songs and some banging dance tracks too. Very excited… and it’s GRAMMY’S NIGHT!!

In 1996, Steve Aoki founded DIM MAK and developed it into an influential independent record label and music lifestyle brand. Responsible for launching the careers of seminal acts such as Bloc Party, The Bloody Beetroots, The Chainsmokers, Deorro, Keys N Krates and countless others, the independently owned DIM MAK has consistently pushed new musical movements via its staunch DIY ethos. With a back catalog hundreds of records deep, a history of legendary live events, and a fully formed clothing line, Dim Mak continues its global mission of promoting boundary-pushing music and culture ‘by any means necessary.’